Groom's body found

...washes ashore on beach on the day he was to marry

By
Susan Mohammed susan.mohammed@trinidadexpress.com

ON the day he was to marry, Umar Mohammed's body washed ashore in Mayaro today, two days after he drowned.

The body of Mohammed, 34, was spotted by a passersby on the beach off Maloney Road, close to where he disappeared on Sunday while bathing with his fiancee Abigail Agard.

Agard said at around 11.30 a.m. on Sunday, she was in the water withMohammed when he said he was going for a swim. Agard said she lost track of him as she dived underneath a wave. After several minutes of searching in vain in the water and along the seashore, she raised an alarm.

Mohammed was a British citizen, who lived in his grandmother's house in Gangaram Branch Trace, Torrib Trace, New Grant. His aunt, Zorina Mohammed, said he was "very religious" and he wished to perform Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimmage to Mecca, the largest gathering of Muslim people in the world.

His aunt said Mohammed's parents and five siblings reside in London, England. His father is expected to return to Trinidad tomorrow.

Zorina Mohammed said her nephew was looking forward to exchanging his marriage vows with Agard, and had told his family that he loved her very much. Agard said Mohammed was "kind and loyal" to her, and minutes before he disappeared they spoke of their impending marriage, honeymoon in Tobago and their future together. The body was examined by district medical officer Dr Moses, and an autopsy is expected to be performed today. Police said no foul play is suspected in the death.